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4-H animal entries arrived Wednesday at Brown County Fair

4-H animal entries arrived Wednesday at Brown County Fair

August 14, 2008|By Sarah Ottney, sottney@aberdeennews.com

Chelsy Podoll's sheep did not appear to enjoy its bath, bleating and skirting its soapy body away from the brush and hose as far as its halter would allow - which wasn't far. The rural Aberdonian, a member of the Westport Three River Ranchers 4-H club, was getting her four sheep ready for check-in at the Brown County Fair. Podoll, 16, a nine-year 4-H veteran, said sheep aren't usually washed or sheared until after check-in, but there are so many animals this year, she wanted to get a head start. Check-in for swine, cattle, sheep, rabbits, poultry and more took place all morning on Wednesday. Preliminary 4-H counts showed 84 beef cattle, seven dairy cattle, 102 sheep and 60 swine were checked in, said Jerry Mills, Brown County Extension educator. “We feel that we're holding steady with our 4-H livestock numbers,” Mills said. Open-class entry numbers were not available. In a nearby barn, unloading calves from a trailer, Michelle and Jessica Osterman of Conde were having a little trouble. The calves lunged this way and that as the sisters worked to get them into place on a row of fresh bedding to wait their turn to check in. Jessica, 18, shows for 4-H. Michelle, 22, now shows in open class. Both have been showing various livestock at the fair since they were 7. The Ostermans' youngest sibling, Lexi, 2, apparently can't wait to get in on the action herself. “She's always with the calves,” Michelle Osterman said. “She likes to help feed them.” Next door, in the goat barn, Trey Wright, 9, of Houghton said he has been getting his goat ready for the fair since December. “She was already that size from the farm and we just had to keep her that big,” Wright said. “We had to feed her every day and put her out in the sun.” Wright, who also shows cattle and - his favorite - horses, said he's a little nervous to show his goat this year. “Only beginners can use halters,” said Wright of the Friendly Fellows and Daisies 4-H club. “This is my second year, so I have to go without. That will be harder.” In the Bunny Barn, Elizabeth Maack, 13, of Aberdeen was brushing one of her five rabbits while her friend, Trevor Wampler, 12, of Hecla, held another of her rabbits on his lap. Wampler, of the Stateline Feeders 4-H club, said he and his sister have 18 rabbits entered in the fair between them, including “Baby,” a 16-pound Flemish Giant, who hopped nearby. Brushing is just part of what gets rabbits fair-ready, said Maack, of the TC Kids 4-H club. She also bathes them and clips their toenails. Audrey Cope, 9, was also brushing her rabbit - or at least attempting to. “Bumper,” her brown Holland Lop, wasn't cooperating and kept hopping away as Cope giggled and pulled him back. The first-year 4-Her said she is a little nervous to show Bumper because rabbits need to sit still while being judged. “He likes to explore,” Cope said. “That's why I'm not sure how I'll do on show.”